Born this day 1842 in Cwmafan, Glamorgan 

William "Mabon" Abraham, trade unionist and Liberal/Labour politician.  The monthly miners holiday " Mabon's Day", secured in 1888, was named after him when he was successful in securing more leisure time for miners.

Abraham was a moderate voice believing that disputes should be solved through dialogue. Abraham was noted for his powerful speaking voice and was a renowned orator.  He started working at the local coal mine as a 'door boy' at the age of ten and in 1864 he accepted an invitation along with other miners, to work in a copper mine in Chile.  however when they arrived, there was no work so Abraham worked his passage back to Britain. 

He then became known as a singer and poet, taking the name Gwilym Mabon.  In 1871, he formed a Union at the Caergynnydd Pit and by 1885 he was the leader of the largest union of the South Wales Coalfields.  He then entered politics becoming the Liberal – Labour MP for the new Rhondda constituency in 1885 and in 1898 he was one of the chief negotiators on behalf of the colliers in the Welsh coal strike of 1898, which resulted in the creation of the South Wales Miners Federation (The Fed) of which Abraham became president.   

The Falklands War ended this day 1982

The Falklands War was a 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom, that resulted from a dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It  began on Friday 2 April 1982 when Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.  The British government dispatched a naval task force to retake the islands, with the resulting conflict ending with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, During the conflict, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel and 3 Falkland Islanders died.

Some Welsh connections;

*  Lieutenant Colonel H. Jones (his mother Olwen Pritchard, was Welsh) the commanding officer of 2 Para was killed at the head of his battalion while charging into the well-prepared Argentine positions. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

*  During the build up to an offensive against Stanley, the resulting confusion of an uncoordinated advance to the disembarkation point of Bluff Cove had left the Welsh Guards on the landing ships RFA Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristan, as sitting targets in Port Pleasant without defence escorts for almost 2 days.  They became subject to Argentine air assaults which killed 32 of them and left 150 suffering burns and other injuries, including Simon Weston.  The disaster provided the world with some of the most sobering images of the war as Navy helicopters hovered in thick smoke trying to winch survivors to safety.  

Born this day 1949 in the Rhonnda 

Alan Evans, professional darts of the 1970’s and 80’s 

In 1972, he reached the final of the News of the World Championship, the first event to be shown on UK television.  Then in 1975, he won the Winmau World Masters, one of the most prestigious titles in darts before the World Championship began in 1978.  When the Darts World Cup began in 1977, the Welsh team of Alan Evans, Leighton Rees and David "Rocky" Jones won the Team Championship and Overall Championship.

Within the darts world, he is remembered for his 3 bullseye's (150) finish, which is often  referred to by commentator Sid Waddell as the "Alan Evans Shot" (three bullseyes)  

Born this day 1950 in Ystradgynlais

Rowan Williams, 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.,

* As Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of Wales, e was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, since the reformation, not to be appointed from within the Church of England

* Apart from Welsh, he speaks or reads nine other languages.

* On 26 December 2012 Williams was created Baron Williams of Oystermouth,

* He was criticised for allegedly supporting a pagan organisation, the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards, which promotes Welsh language and literature and uses druidic ceremonial but is actually not religious in nature.

* Williams officiated at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011.

* On 16 November 2011, Williams attended a special service at Westminster Abbey celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

* He was delivering a lecture in New York at the time of 11 September 2001 attacks, only yards from Ground Zero.

* His attendance at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, made him the first Archbishop of Canterbury to attend a Pope's funeral since the Protestant Reformation.  

Born this day 1726 in Whitford, Flintshire 

Thomas Pennant, naturalist, traveller, writer and antiquarian.

Pennant travelled widely throughout Britain, especially Scotland with his servant Moses Griffiths, recording and writing books about the geography and wildlife he encountered, whilst Moses made paintings and engravings.  Pennant also amassed a considerable collection of art, which was largely selected for their scientific interest.  It is now housed at the National Library of Wales.  

  On 14th June 1645 Charles I was defeated by the Cromwell's New Model Army at the battle of Naseby.    In the aftermath, King Charles and the remnants of the royalist force came to Wales to raise support from his supporters in Wales and particularly in Monmouthshire with the Herberts.   He visited  Abergavenny and held his Court in the Priory House spending some 6 months in the area.  

Charles eventually surrendered to the Scots in 1646 who promptly handed him over to the English.  He was brought to trial in Westminster Hall before 135 Judges but he refused to recognise the legality of the Court.  He did not plead and was found guilty by 68 votes to 67.  Sentence of death was passed and on 30th January 1649, he was beheaded on a scaffold outside the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall.